Each year, thousands of infants (aged 2 weeks to 1 year) die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (“SIDS”), a disorder in which otherwise healthy infants seemingly stop breathing. Although scientific and medical research has uncovered factors which indicate a predisposition to the disorder (e.g., low birth weight, age of mothers), no specific cause has been uncovered. Moreover, there are varied theories put forth by the medical community as to the cause of SIDS. Some theories suggest a neurological disorder in the infants which intercepts the breathing functions while sleeping and leads to the infant's death by asphyxiation.
Applicant believes a contributing cause of SIDS is that infants fall victim to asphyxiation from carbon dioxide re-breathing. More specifically, infants sleeping face down re-breathe the carbon dioxide in the exhaled air trapped in the air pocket of their bedding near their air passages. Doctors, nurses and medical journals have for years recommended placing an infant on its hack for sleeping to avoid this concern. However, many parents and caregivers are reluctant to follow this advice. Some infants prefer sleeping on their stomachs, and do not adjust to the changed position well. Moreover after 5-6 months, most infants can roll themselves over to their preferred sleeping position. Further, many infants have a tendency to regurgitate and parents are concerned their infant may choke on the regurgitated matter.
Based on the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a sleep surface that will substantially prevent the conditions which can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning to infants sleeping face down and, thereby, substantially prevent SIDS.